Anyone have a Farmertec/Holzfforma or Neotec chainsaw?

[Cattech]

I need to get a bigger saw for my Up North property. I really would like to get that Stihl 500i but $2k for a chainsaw isn't in the budget. I'm looking for a saw that can carry a 32" bar, not because I have that many big trees, but I'm not getting any younger and don't feel like bending over anymore. 

I started watching videos on these clone saws you can buy on Amazon. From what I have gathered, these aren't necessarily a Chinese copy of an older Stihl or Husky, but a collection of aftermarket repair parts assembled to build a saw. Apparently, everything off the real deal saws will bolt directly to the off brand and VS VS. So if there is a weak point, you could use the OEM replacement. 

I have been looking at the G466, which is their version of a Stihl 046/460. I can get one of these, plus a OEM Stihl bar and chain for under $500. For a few $ more, I could also go to the 660.

Anyone here bought one of these? Did you get it assembled or buy a kit you had to build yourself? Would I be better off buying a used Stihl and plan on rebuilding it?

 

 

[Mudfly]

11 minutes ago, Cattech said:

I need to get a bigger saw for my Up North property. I really would like to get that Stihl 500i but $2k for a chainsaw isn't in the budget. I'm looking for a saw that can carry a 32" bar, not because I have that many big trees, but I'm not getting any younger and don't feel like bending over anymore. 

I started watching videos on these clone saws you can buy on Amazon. From what I have gathered, these aren't necessarily a Chinese copy of an older Stihl or Husky, but a collection of aftermarket repair parts assembled to build a saw. Apparently, everything off the real deal saws will bolt directly to the off brand and VS VS. So if there is a weak point, you could use the OEM replacement. 

I have been looking at the G466, which is their version of a Stihl 046/460. I can get one of these, plus a OEM Stihl bar and chain for under $500. For a few $ more, I could also go to the 660.

Anyone here bought one of these? Did you get it assembled or buy a kit you had to build yourself? Would I be better off buying a used Stihl and plan on rebuilding it?

 

 

I don't have one, but I would spend just slightly more and the the pro version that comes with a Nikasil cylinder (made in Italy?) and better carb.  I think they have the black covers.  I've seen them on Amazon.

In general some people seem to have good luck with them, other people don't.  I don't know if it is randomness associated with poor construction, or if it has more to do with people being able to break an anvil with a hammer.  If I was looking for occasional use (weekend stuff), I don't think I'd be afraid of one.  On a plus, if you blow it up, there are huge amounts of parts available (OEM and aftermarket) for the 2 saws that you mentioned and I know you can fix them.  

Bottom line, you aren't trying to make money with it, so give it a shot.  Or you can try to find a used 460/461 that will probably run you in the $700 range.  Maybe $500 if you find an ugly one.

If you aren't stuck on Stihl (or their clones), I would look at a Husqvarna 371 or 372.  They can be found used/rebuild for the $400 to $500 range and would be more reliable than the Farmertec.  

[Rawleigh99]

I have been researching them for a milling saw.  If you are mechanically savvy like you are you will probably be fine with them.  You can get them is kit form if you want to save more money.  Weak spots seem to be the pull start and the chain tensioner.  Both problems easily solved by replacing with Stihl OEM parts.  They are a deal even with those fixes.

[Fasttommy]

A couple years a local logger (one that still uses chainsaws) got into the holzfformas. They said they could buy like 3 for the price of an equivalent husky. They were just testing them out at the time they did my sale, but I still see them in the back of their truck so they are either buying more as they break, or they are lasting!

[acem]

A friend has one and has had good luck with it. He uses it lightly.

I recently bought a used echo cs680 for about the same price as a Chinese saw. Echo saws are much more reasonably priced than the German and Swiss saws. I'd rather have a good used jap or European saw than a Chinese saw.

[lorenzo]

3 hours ago, Mudfly said:

I don't have one, but I would spend just slightly more and the the pro version that comes with a Nikasil cylinder (made in Italy?) and better carb.  I think they have the black covers.  I've seen them on Amazon.

In general some people seem to have good luck with them, other people don't.  I don't know if it is randomness associated with poor construction, or if it has more to do with people being able to break an anvil with a hammer.  If I was looking for occasional use (weekend stuff), I don't think I'd be afraid of one.  On a plus, if you blow it up, there are huge amounts of parts available (OEM and aftermarket) for the 2 saws that you mentioned and I know you can fix them.  

Bottom line, you aren't trying to make money with it, so give it a shot.  Or you can try to find a used 460/461 that will probably run you in the $700 range.  Maybe $500 if you find an ugly one.

If you aren't stuck on Stihl (or their clones), I would look at a Husqvarna 371 or 372.  They can be found used/rebuild for the $400 to $500 range and would be more reliable than the Farmertec.  

I have a new 660 Stihl i would sell

[Mudfly]

14 minutes ago, lorenzo said:

I have a new 660 Stihl i would sell

Just because…. Shoot me a PM if Cattech isn’t interested.

 

[vtfireman85]

I hear all kinds of reasonable arguments both ways. 
I imagine you have a toolbox full of snapon, mac or similar tools, yes? Cost an arm and a leg, yes? The big names spend lots of money on R+D , support and QC. Personally I would rather give more to a company that developed its own product, markets its own product and has a dealer network to support its product. Giving money to a Chinese company that stole someone else’s design and makes a cheap copy of questionable integrity feels dirty to me. Like buying a lottery ticket, might get lucky, but odds are you will give your money away and wish you hadn’t spent it. 

[Cattech]

3 hours ago, lorenzo said:

I have a new 660 Stihl i would sell

I'm guessing you will need a tidy sum to let it go, & I don't know if a 21 pound power head fits my operation. The 16.5 of a 460 is more than I really want to pack around.

 

5 minutes ago, vtfireman85 said:

I hear all kinds of reasonable arguments both ways. 
I imagine you have a toolbox full of snapon, mac or similar tools, yes? Cost an arm and a leg, yes? The big names spend lots of money on R+D , support and QC. Personally I would rather give more to a company that developed its own product, markets its own product and has a dealer network to support its product. Giving money to a Chinese company that stole someone else’s design and makes a cheap copy of questionable integrity feels dirty to me. Like buying a lottery ticket, might get lucky, but odds are you will give your money away and wish you hadn’t spent it. 

To be honest, I have as many Harbor Fright and el-cheapo Flea Market tools in my boxes as I do Mac or Snap On. It was always nice to have zero guilt taking a wrench to the chop saw or torch for customization. But I do get your point, I hate to send money china's way as much as anyone else. It's just spending 4x $ for a saw, that's more a want than a need, is kinda hard to swallow.

[vtfireman85]

3 minutes ago, Cattech said:

I'm guessing you will need a tidy sum to let it go, & I don't know if a 21 pound power head fits my operation. The 16.5 of a 460 is more than I really want to pack around.

 

To be honest, I have as many Harbor Fright and el-cheapo Flea Market tools in my boxes as I do Mac or Snap On. It was always nice to have zero guilt taking a wrench to the chop saw or torch for customization. But I do get your point, I hate to send money china's way as much as anyone else. It's just spending 4x $ for a saw, that's more a want than a need, is kinda hard to swallow.

I bought a 440 magnum on CL . It was as advertised, think i gave 350, maybe 400. Another 75 for fuel lines, filter etc. it was as nice a saw as you could get and i was sub 500. I ended up selling it because it was heavier than my 562 and no where near the performance. It was as good as it ever was, but an old design. 
end of the day you have to use whatever you bought, but personally for me, i don't see dropping money to China and then buying German parts to try to fix what they messed up. 

[Twolines]

Eh...ive heard some good reviews, especially with the later versions. However ive heard a lot of bad too...like with their castings and cleaning up edges and burrs. I forget the company but theres these guys that build saws, porting and such(i think they are on utoob), anyway they say they are great if u go through it before even thinking of popping it off. 

I concur buying a used name brand saw is a better avenue. 

 

[nomorejohndeere]

If a fella was going for a diy milling saw and was looking for big cc saw then the economy of the 880 clone is viable...

If a fella was into saws as a hobby....like putting puzzles together and talking smack about squish and port timing and muffler mods the kits are great fun....

For a regular farm use saw in the 70 to 90 cc range I would go used name brand if budget was a factor....not because of performance or reliability or the lack thereof but for resale value...

The clones sell hard and cheap....people ask the same questions and have the same anxieties as you do....

 

 

[706 German]

I have 2, both 660 clones. The first one I bought as a kit and put it together. If I remember correctly it only took 3-4 hours to put together. I put a different piston and better rings in right from the get go. The saw started right up and ran great. I used it for about a year of occasional use. Then last winter a friend of mine wanted to use it to cut up some big trees, it has a 36” bar on it, and it locked up. I got it broke loose and tried getting it started  but no go. I took out the spark plug and can see some scoring so I am thinking it is low on compression. Saw number 2 came because I was lacking ambition with to many projects going on so I ordered the “pro” version and it came put together. So far it has been a good saw, I run a 24” bar on it. Saw number 2 doesn’t seem to have the power saw 1 had but that might be the reason saw 1 doesn’t run anymore, thinking it was running a bit lean. 

Overall I think they are a good buy for occasional use but I wouldn’t rely on them for everyday. 

[vtfireman85]

I would be curious to do a side by side comparison of the knock-off to the real deal . Obviously you cant buy a new 660 or 460 but you could have one freshened up, or one lightly used. From my observation, any Harbor Freight knock-off tools have been a sad pale comparison to the items they copy. Any time i have bought them I have wished i spent a little more for a better quality unit. 

[Lazy WP]

1 hour ago, vtfireman85 said:

I would be curious to do a side by side comparison of the knock-off to the real deal . Obviously you cant buy a new 660 or 460 but you could have one freshened up, or one lightly used. From my observation, any Harbor Freight knock-off tools have been a sad pale comparison to the items they copy. Any time i have bought them I have wished i spent a little more for a better quality unit. 

I think it makes a huge difference in what your expectations are as to a knock off verses the real deal. 
I have 4 Harbor Freight air impact wrenches. My 1 inch is not real user friendly but it cost $250. A similar Ingersall was $1000. I might do 20 truck wheels in a year. The Harbor Freight will do the job. 
My extended anvil 1/2 inch, I will put up against any brand name. Maybe if I were turning wrenches every day it would be different, but my expectations are for a couple hours a month, and they all work for that. 
Same with the chain saws. I have a couple Stihls, a Jonsard and a Poulan. The corded Harbor Freight pole saw or the Dewalt battery saw are the 2 that get used the most. I just don’t cut wood like I used to. Probably should sell my splitter. Haven’t used it since 2014. 

[Rawleigh99]

Better hang on to that slitter!  You might need it this year!!!

[acem]

"For a regular farm use saw in the 70 to 90 cc range I would go used name brand if budget was a factor....not because of performance or reliability or the lack thereof but for resale value..."

I don't know any farmers who NEED a 90cc chainsaw!

The Chinese have copied the echo cs400. 

Thx-Ace 

[Mudfly]

8 minutes ago, acem said:

"For a regular farm use saw in the 70 to 90 cc range I would go used name brand if budget was a factor....not because of performance or reliability or the lack thereof but for resale value..."

I don't know any farmers who NEED a 90cc chainsaw!

The Chinese have copied the echo cs400. 

Thx-Ace 

I know some guys that only have 1 saw and it is either a 046/460 Stihl or a 372 Husky.  Those are both in the 70 to 90 cc range and are a great 1 saw plan.  Dolmar 7900 (79cc) is another great saw in that realm.

@vtfireman85 was just running a Husky 390 for a long time (88 cc).

just saying it happens more than you think.

[acem]

I know loggers that don't carry saws that big!

Of course they only use chainsaws for topping and limbing. They cut with big machines.

Thx-Ace 

[vtfireman85]

11 minutes ago, Mudfly said:

I know some guys that only have 1 saw and it is either a 046/460 Stihl or a 372 Husky.  Those are both in the 70 to 90 cc range and are a great 1 saw plan.  Dolmar 7900 (79cc) is another great saw in that realm.

@vtfireman85 was just running a Husky 390 for a long time (88 cc).

just saying it happens more than you think.

2 390 and a 385, with 28” bars  nothing better IMO. I wanted a small truck saw so I bought the 562. We have a pair of 340s  on the fire trucks , it is sort of like skinning a deer with a Sheetrock knife, not enjoyable at all. 
its all perspective however. We have a member who is 6’8” with size 16 extra-squatchy boots, we had to custom order them. and complains the 340 is heavy, I tried to point out he drinks sodas that weigh more but he says it is terrible. 

[Fasttommy]

Single chainsaw guy here, husky 455. Northeast MN, home heated entirely with wood. It’s not the size of the saw, it’s how you swing it 😉

[Twolines]

Id like to have just one saw...but a back up is nice, especially at 30 below. And sadly i cant just have one of everything...as a collector i feel u haven't established anything till u have 10 AND parts and literature.

[vtfireman85]

4 minutes ago, Twolines said:

Id like to have just one saw...but a back up is nice, especially at 30 below. And sadly i cant just have one of everything...as a collector i feel u haven't established anything till u have 10 AND parts and literature.

I admire people with one of everything, clean, pristine and organized. 
i will never be that person, but I admire them. 

[nomorejohndeere]

4 hours ago, Mudfly said:

I know some guys that only have 1 saw and it is either a 046/460 Stihl or a 372 Husky.  Those are both in the 70 to 90 cc range and are a great 1 saw plan.  Dolmar 7900 (79cc) is another great saw in that realm.

@vtfireman85 was just running a Husky 390 for a long time (88 cc).

just saying it happens more than you think.

I had a Makita(dolmar) 6400.  Very nice saw, smooth runner, easy on the operator.

 

[jnbru]

I have 660 version.  Which I only used in 1 tree, because it is my backup saw.  I cleaned the case heavily and oiled it heavy during assembly.  I sanded out the crank chamber to remove 1/2 milled out, outside coating, lightly ported and polished it also.  It runs super strong with only minor carb adjustment.   The bar oil adjustment hole was almost completely covered.  I froze the crank shaft / rod assembly and lightly heated the case 1/2's in a oven to slide it together with out a tool.  With a light tape on the crank to center it better.